The Desert Does Not Forget
by Lost2Found
Summary: Upon his return home, Luke shares with his sister the secret of their heritage and the meaning of their name. He also informs Han and Leia of a Rebellion far older than the Empire and the Resistance, or even the Republic itself. This Rebellion is one born of dust and blood, full of secret words and freedom songs. It is a Rebellion all their own. Expanded as a series of one-shots.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars. Also, the concept of Amatakka is from Fialleril's story Double Agent Vader, which I love and can't wait until they continue. Anyways, I've always loved the idea that the Lars family was involved with freeing slaves, and I think the idea of the slaves having their own secret language is just so intriguing.** **?**

"Luke, what's wrong?" I asked sharply.

"It's nothing, Leia," he whispered.

"Don't tell me that, Luke. I know you're upset about something."

Luke swallowed. "I grew up about half a mile that way," he said softly, pointing to the North. "I buried my family just before taking off to help Ben rescue you."

"Do you want to go see it, Kid?" Han asked.

Luke remained silent, but the longing in his eyes was answer enough. I nodded, and Han started the ship back up.

When we touched down again, I immediately felt uneasy. Luke led us to a spot about 500 yards away from a charred black structure that I knew must have been his home. He kneeled in the sand, his head bowed. Nothing appeared to mark the graves, and, for a moment, I wondered how he could tell that this was where his foster parents had been laid to rest. At that moment, though, I noticed the two rocks partially buried in sand. Each had a tiny symbol carved on it, and they were both tied to a tall pole. Using the Force, Luke moved four feet of sand from above the graves.

Han put his hand on my shoulder. I had never met my Aunt and Uncle, but they were family, in a way, and they had raised my brother. That was enough to make me feel something at their graveside.

"They died for us," Luke whispered. "Did you know that?"

I shook my head, feeling confused. What did he mean, for us?

Luke closed his eyes. "I saw a piece of the message you'd recorded for Ben. To see more, I removed Artoo's restraining bolt. Aunt Beru called me in for dinner, and I forgot to put the bolt back on. When I went back out to finish cleaning the droids, he was long gone. The Stormtroopers attacked when I was out with Threepio looking for him. Ben and I came up on the Jawa transport that had sold us the droids. It had been destroyed. As soon as I realized what had happened, I raced home." He looked up and his tear-filled blue eyes met mine. "I was too late. They'd been tortured for information."

"Luke," Han interrupted, "I'm sure it ended quickly. The Stormtroopers must've known they didn't have any information."

Luke's eyes darkened and he snapped, "I know what Imperial torture looks like, Han. Droids aren't the only thing they could've found on our farm." Instantly, he paled, looking down.

"What do you mean, Luke?"

"Names on Tatooine mean a lot," was all he said before turning back towards our aunt and uncle. "I'm sorry, Aunt Beru, Uncle Owen." A tear fell silently down his cheek. Then, he spoke in a language that neither Leia nor Han had ever heard spoken aloud. With that, he stood up, dusting the sand from his pants and tunic.

"Luke, what language was that? What did you say?" Han asked quietly.

Luke hesitated for only a moment. "It is called Amatakka. I told them that the rain had come."

"I hate to tell ya, Kid, but we're in the desert. There's no rain anywhere near here."

I elbowed Han in the ribs, hard, but Luke chuckled. "That's not what it means, Han. I can't say anything else, though."

"Why not, Luke?" I asked, confused.

His eyes darkened again. "I will not betray my people. You'll know soon enough."

His answer only confused me more, but I followed as he led us to the charred remains of his childhood home.

"Kid, why are we going to the house? There's nothing there but ruins."

"I didn't have time to check the house before I left with Ben. I only had time to bury them." Luke led them to a hidden door in the floor, covered in ash and sand. Quickly, he pulled the door open and ushered them inside.

"Luke, what is this place?" I asked, looking around at the room with shock and a bit of fear. Carved into the sandstone were bunks, twelve of them—four rows of three tall. In the middle of the room was a table, and on a tray at the table edge lay several crude-looking tools, as well as several rolls of bandages. I looked at Han, standing beside Luke with a knowing look on his face.

"There's been a Rebellion going on in the Outer Rim since before the Republic ever fell," Luke said quietly. "One all our own."

"This was a Slave Tunnel, wasn't it?" Han asked.

I drew in a sharp breath as my brother nodded.

"Aunt Beru was a Singer. Every slave has a transmitter implanted somewhere in their body. If they get outside the range, it explodes. It's an effective way to scare slaves into obedience and to keep them from running. Aunt Beru would locate and extract the transmitter. She would give the slaves their freedom. I told you that names have meaning here," Luke whispered. "Skywalker is the name of a slave." Luke swallowed. "I was the first freeborn member of my family. Our grandmother spent most of her life as a slave, as did our father before he won his freedom. Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru loved our grandmother, and they never forgot where she came from. All my life, we were part of the Underground."

"Why did you tell them that the rain had come?" I asked.

"Amatakka is the Language of the Slaves. A way to communicate without Depur—the master—knowing. There was a myth—a prophecy—a hope—that one day, a freed slave—Ekkreth—would return and free the others. Ekkreth means slave. In Basic, it translates as Skywalker. If I had to wager, I'd say that Father named you, Leia."

"Why?" Leia asked, rather sharply. Thinking of Luke as her brother was second nature, but she still found it difficult to think of Vader as her father.

"Because, when he left Tatooine, Anakin Skywalker promised Grandmother Shmi that when he became a Jedi, he would return and free her—that he would free all the slaves. In the legends, Ekkreth's daughter, the warrior princess of the desert, is called Leia." Bending, he drew the symbol for Leia in the sand. "Anyways, saying that the rain has come means that the promise was fulfilled—that Ekkreth has freed the slaves. It means that, though the rain was long ago, the desert does not forget. The Mighty One comes with storm and with fire."

"We will walk free," a deep voice finished.

Luke spun on his heel, igniting his lightsaber, only to recognize the man standing in the doorway. "Mr. Darklighter," he whispered.

"Lukka," the man greeted him warmly, pulling him into a hug.

"I'm sorry, sir," Luke whispered. "Biggs was on my wing and I…"

"Hush, child," Mr. Darklighter whispered gruffly. "Bikkhu knew what he was doing when he joined the Alliance. You have finally brought the rain, Ekkreth. The desert does not forget."


	2. Chapter 2

"Luke!" Leia's voice was sharp. "You'd better come see this."

"What is it?" Luke asked. He looked up from the food he was organizing. He stood in an old, abandoned hanger that the New Republic had established as a temporary feeding station. They were currently on an old mining planet and had been tasked with reintegrating the slaves back into normal society. That process, it was decided, had to start by feeding the slaves.

"There's a girl causing problems among the slaves."

Luke furrowed his brow. The slaves were half-starved. It wasn't terribly uncommon for some of them to fight over rations. Normally, though, the soldiers managed to handle it without having to involve him."

"It's not about food this time," Leia said, her voice grave. "She's demanding to speak to you."

Quickly, Luke followed his sister out of the hanger. By the time they reached the doors, Luke could hear the sounds of shouting. Quickly, he broke into a jog.

"Please!" A young girl pleaded. "I have to see him! Let me through!"

"Ma'am, I asked you to leave," Wedge said sternly. "Luke's a very busy man. I won't ask you again."

Luke could hear what sounded like a scuffle, and he increased his pace, Leia right behind him.

"No! Put me down!" The girl was hysterical. "Luke!" Suddenly, her screams grew in volume and desperation. "Lukka! No! Lukka!"

Luke froze, his blood running cold. Suddenly, he was sixteen years old again, frantically chasing a transport across the barren desert.

"Shmi!" He shouted, breaking into a full sprint and leaving Leia behind him. Rounding a tall stack of boxes, Luke didn't even take in the scene, so focused was he on the girl currently slung over Wedge's shoulder. "Put her down," Luke commanded, his voice ringing with authority.

Wedge froze and turned to face Luke. The girl still beat at his back, kicking and bucking, struggling for freedom.

"I said _put her down_ ," Luke repeated himself, clearly enunciating the command.

"Luke?" Leia asked, having caught up with him.

Luke didn't turn to look at her. Wedge released the girl. Immediately, she ran towards Luke. Leia tensed, her hand going towards her blaster. The girl didn't stop or slow as she neared Luke, instead running straight into him at top speed. Luke, however, was not phased. He immediately caught her, wrapping his arms around the girl. The girl instantly fisted her hand in Luke's tunic and began sobbing hysterically. Still, Luke just held her.

"Lukka!" The girl repeated over and over again. "Lukka!"

Leia watched the scene in shock, like all of the others. Han and many of the Rogues had their mouths gaping open. Other personnel watched with wide eyes. The slaves were eerily silent. This was Luke as they had never seen him—not the naïve farm-boy or the skilled pilot or the steady, dependable Jedi. It took Leia a moment to recognize that Luke was crying. His face buried in this girl's hair, her brother's shoulders shook.

Leia stepped closer, and it was then that she realized that he was singing. Through his tears, his voice thick with emotion, Luke Skywalker was singing. His voice was rich and pleasant to listen to. Leia realized that she had never heard her brother sing before. Leia could not say what language the song was in, but the girl clearly knew because her crying slowly subsided, though she did not show any sign of releasing her grip on Luke.

When Luke's song ended, the thick silence persisted for several seconds. Then, suddenly, a shout went up from the slaves. "Bentu Depuraak!" The shout was taken up by others, and within moments, all of the slaves had erupted in cheers.

Leia looked over at her brother and the girl. Luke had slipped his arm around her shoulder, holding her close to his side. Both of them were smiling, tears filling their eyes as they gazed out at the other slaves.

"Bentu Depuraak!" They shouted together, joining in the cheers, before hugging each other close.

Slowly, Luke led the girl over to Leia. Han came up beside her.

"Who's your friend, kid?"

"Han, Leia," Luke introduced. "I'd like for you to meet my ikkalli. My sister, Shmi."


End file.
